Log-boring machine



Sept. 17, 1929. c. G. sAPP LOG BORING MACHINE Filed Jan. 3, 1928 .2 Sheets-Sheet 1 III: E:

A TORNEY INVENTOR W 6Lnuo 6.63421 Sept. 17, 1929. Q 's p 1,728,367

LOG BORING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES CLAUDE e. SAPP, or OLYMPIA, WASHIN TON I LOG-BORING MACHINE" Application filed January 3, 1928. Serial No. 244,305.

This invention relates to improvements in.

which may be mounted on and secured to the log to be bored and anaugerniounting frame which is mounted on and adjustable both laterally and longitudinally with respect to the base frame so as to greatly expedite use of the device by making it possible to bore holes over an extended area without requiring that the 5 base framebe detached and shifted each time a hole is to be bored.

Another object is to provide for easily and quickly demounting the frame structure which carries the'auger and its driving mechanism, so that this part may be used independently of the other when this is more desirable.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel details of construction of the mechanism whereby the auger is driven and automatically advanced.

Other objects reside in thevarious details of construction and in. the combination of parts as will hereinafter be described.

In accomplishing these objects, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated inthe accompanyingdrawings, wherein I Figure 1 is a side elevation of a boring device constructed'in accordance with the prescut invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the gear housing containing theauger, advancing gears, With the star wheel for rotating the gears the view being taken on the section line 22ii1'Figure 1.

Figure 8is a sectional detail of the auger driving and advancing mechanism taken on line 33 inFigure 2.

Figure & is an end elevation of the boring 4 machine;

Figure 5 is aperspective view of'the boring device demounted frointhe mainframe and" illustrating the manner which it is at tached to a log for boring a horizontal hole. VI

Figure 6 is a cross v 7 66 in Figure 3. i i

Figure 7 is a perspective view of parts of; the tower frame. I i i Briefly described, the machine consists of rigid stand, or base frame, whichmay lie' placed upon and secured to the log'or piece in whichholes are to be bored This frame is provided with bars upon which a tower; which carries theiauger and its drivingmechanisin, is adjustably mounted for movement longitudinally and transversely of the frame so that holes may be boredover an extended area without necessitating adjustment"ofthe* main frame. I I i Referring more in detail to the drawings 1 and 2 designate the opposite en'dse'ctions' of the main frame on which the tower structure. presently described, is mounted; these sections being rigidly joined by upper and lower pairs of horizontal and parallel bars 3 and a respectively. Preferably these end sections are cast so that each is in one piece, and each is provided at its ends with vertically alined bearings 5 wherein supporting posts-6 are slidably' extended; These posts are equipped at their lower ends with rollers 7 which facilitate movement of the frame to different positions on alog and the posts may be adjusted upwardly and downwardly in the bearings as is'neces'sar-yto level up the stand. Lock nuts 8 are threaded onto the posts and these are adapted to be tightened against the bearings 5 to retain the adjustment.

The end sections land Qare'also'provided with one or more pairs of Vertically alined bearings 9 through which. drift pins 10 may be extended. These pins are sharpened at their lower ends so that'they may be driven into the log to prevent shifting of the frame section taken on line" 5'0 after it has been set in place. Other anchor devices for the frame are also provided in the form of straps 11, which have ends 11 hooked over the lower cross rods 4 and have inturned, sharpened ends 11 which may be driven into the log. These anchor straps are used to prevent tipping of the frame laterally when placed in an inclined position as would be necessary for drilling a hole in a slanting direction.

Slidably mounted on the upper pair of bars 3, is the tower within which the auger and its driving gearing is mounted. This tower comprises a base frame structure made up of two cross bars 14-14 disposed in parallel, spaced relation transversely upon the bars 3 and slidable thereon in the longitudinal direction of the supporting frame. Each of these bars is provided near its ends with downwardly opening recesses 14 for receiving the bars 3 therein and they have cleats 14 fixed thereto by bolts 14, which underlie the bars 3 to prevent their displacement. The bars 14-14 also have upturned bearings 14 at their ends, in which the ends of tubular cross pieces 15 are fixed; these being parallel with and disposed directly above the cross bars 14. The main tower structureis slidably mounted on these cross pieces 15 and is adjustable thereon transversely with respect to the lower frame.

The tower structure comprises four upright corner posts 18 which, at their lower ends, are fixed in the ends of paired cross bars 19, which at their ends are provided with seats 19 which slidably receive the cross tubes 15. These latter bars are detachably held in place by cleats 20 that are fixed to their under sides by bolts 21 with their ends underlying the tubes, as shown in Figure 1. Theupper ends of the four posts are rigidly joined by two spider-like frame structures 23 and 24, which are fixed to the posts in spaced relation. Another spider 25 is slidable on the lower portions of the posts below the spider 24, and this is provided centrally with a hearing 26 within which the lower end of the auger advancing screw 27 is rotatably fixed. The upper end of the advancing screw 27 is slidable through a centrally located guide bearing 28 in the upper spider frame 23.

The auger advancing screw 27 is of tubular form and it contains the shaft 30 of an augur 31'. The auger shaft is of considerable length and is adjustable within the advancing screw, and it is held at different positions of adjustment by means of a chuck of a suitable character, as designated at 32, at the lower end of the screw.

The means which I have providedfor driving or rotating the screw, as shown best in Figures 1 and 3, consists of a beveled gear 35 that is fixed on the lower end of a tubular portion 36 of a gear housing 37 through which the screw extends. This gear housing is held revolubly within a central bearing portion 38 of the spider 24. The tubular portion 36 of the housing carries a key 39, as in Figure 6, that is operable within a slot or groove 40 that extends the length of the screw, so that rotation of the housing will cause rotation of the screw and at the same time longitudinal advancement or retraction of the screw will be permitted.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the gear wheel 35 is in mesh with a plurality of smaller bevel gears 43 by means of which it is adapted to be driven for rotation of the screw and auger. These gears 43 are mounted on laterally directed shafts 44 carried in bearings 45 that are attached to the spider 24, and they have squared outer ends 46 to which turning cranks 47 may be applied. The construction described provides that by turning the cranks 47 the gear wheel 35 will be rotated, and this will rotate the entire gear housing 37 and, since this has a keyed driving connection with the screw, the screw will be rotated. It is necessary, however, to provide additional means for positively advancing the screw in order that the auger will be advanced into the log for boring and this mechanism will now be described.

Threaded onto the screw 27 within the gear housing, is a gear wheel 50. This is rotatably lit-ted between the upper and lower walls of the housing and operates in mesh 'ith a smaller gear wheel 51 that is keyed to a shaft 52 revoluble in bearings 53 in the upper and lower walls of the housing, and which extends upwardly from the housing and at its upper end has a star wheel 54 fixed thereto. The star wheel has a plurality of points, or radially extending arms 54 which are adapted, when the housing 37 is rotated bodily about the screw 27, to be brought into contact with one or more pins 55 which may be projected downwardly through theupper spider 23 to thereby cause rotative movement of the star wheel and the gear 51, and this results in turning the gear wheel which, because of its threaded connection with the screw, effects longitudinal or advancing movement of the latter. If it is desired that the advancement of the screw be slow, only one pin is projected through the spider for engagement by the star wheel, but if it is desired that the advancement be speeded up, several pins are used; each of which will effect the turning of the star wheel through a certain distance.

I have also provided another means for manually advancing the screw when it is desired to raise or lower it quickly without rotation of the auger and this means consists of a short, vertical shaft carried slidably in bearings of a bracket 61 that is fixed to the upper side of the spider 23. This shaft is mounted by the bracket at a position which will permit the star wheel shaft 52 to be Lil brought into coaxial alinement therewith, as shown in Figure 3. Slidably keyed on the shaft 60, is a driving bevel gear 62 adapted in turn to be driven by a bevel gear 63 mounted on a horizontal shaft 64 revoluble in a supporting bearing 61 of the bracket 61 and equipped at its outer end with a turning crank 65. At the lower end of the shaft 61, is a head 66 provided with a plurality of downwardly projecting studs 67 adapted to project between the arms of the star wheel. At the upper end of the shaft 60, is a nut 68 and pivoted on the bracket is a latch 69 that may be swung into one position to engage the under side of the nut to hold the shaft in a i rotation of the gear 50, so that by reason of its threaded connection with the screw, the latter will be raised or lowered as is desired. By this mechanism, it is possible to quickly withdraw the auger from a hole after it has been bored without going through the slow process of doing this by means of the gearing which is provided for rotating and for automatically advancing or retracting the auger.

Assuming the device to be so constructed,

its use would be as follows: First, the base frame structure is mounted on the log and is properly leveled by adjustment of the corner posts 6 and this adjustment is retained by setting the lock nuts 8 against the bearings 5. Then, the drift pins are driven in to prevent longitudinal shifting of the frame and the anchor straps 11 are applied and their pointed ends driven into the log so as to positively prevent any lateral tipping of the frame.

Next, the tower mechanism is located on the bars 3 of the base frame and the anger is brought to a desired position by shifting the tower longitudinally on the bars 3 and, if necessary, transversely with respect to the bars. With the screw 27 in raised position, the auger is then adjusted against the log and is locked within the screw by the chuck 32. Then, with the hand mechanism disengaged from the star wheel and with one or more pins 54; projected through the spider 2'3 so that they will engage with the star wheel when the latter is revolved with the gear housing, cranks 47 are then applied to the squared outer ends of the shafts 4A and by turning these the gear 35 will be rotated to rotate the gear housing 37 which, because of its keyed connection therewith, rotates the screw 27 and auger. As the gear housing revolves, the star wheel arms are brought into contact with the pins 54 and this causes rotative movement of the star wheel and a resultant rotative movement of the gear which operates to advance the screwand theauger accordingly; After a hole has beenbored to a desired depth, the

auger may be quickly withdrawn by rotating the housing to a 'posltion at which shaft 52 is alined with shaft then, latch 69 is released so as to permit the driving. head 66 with pins 67 to lock with the star Wheel and then, by rotationof the crank 65, the gear 50 is driven directly and speedily to raise the'screw and auger. Y I i It is readily apparent that with this construction, the tower may be adjusted longitudinally of the main frame and also transversely thereof, and that this provides for boring holes over an extended area without necessitating re-adjustment of the main frame. 6

In Figure 5, I have illustrated the use of the tower and auger driving mechanisms for boring a hole horizontally. In this operation, the tower is dismounted from the base frame structure and isheld in place," as shown, by means of chains or the like 60, which are wrapped about the log and attached'at their ends to the upperends of the corner posts. The boring operation is the same as previous-' ly described. i

Machines of this character may be made in various sizes and it is readily apparent that details of construction could be changed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and'for this reason, it is not desired that the claims be limited only to the details as are herein illustrated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim'as new therein and desireto secure by Letters-Patent, is: o

1. A boring machine of the character described, comprising a main frame structure having. relatively adjustable supporting legs at its ends for leveling the frame, drift pins mounted in the frame ends adapted to be driven into the pieceto be bored to prevent shifting of the frame, and a boring device mounted on the frame for adjustment longitudinally and transversely thereof.

2. In a boring machine of the character described, a frame structure, a tubular, ex teriorly threaded boring shaft longitudinally adjustable therein, an auger mounted adjustably by the shaft, a revolubly supported gear housing through which the shaft extends and to which it is slidably keyed, means for manually rotating the housing to thereby rotate the shaft and anger, a gear threaded onto the shaft within the housing,

a second gear meshing with the first gear, a mounting shaft fixed to the second gear and extending from the housing and means on said shaft exteriorly of the housing adapted, when the gear housing is rotated, to be moved into engagement with abutments in theframe to' thereby cause rotation'of the gears to advance the auger shaft lengthwise as it rotates.

3. In a boring machine of the character described, a frame structure, atubular, 'exteriorly threaded boring shaft longitudinally adjustable therein, an auger mounted adjustably by the shaft, a revolubly supported gear housing through which the shaft extends and to which it is slidably keyed, means for manually rotating the housing to thereby rotate the shaft and auger, a gear threaded onto the shaft within the housing, a second gear meshing with the first gear, a mounting shaft fixed to the second gear and extending from the housing, a star wheel fixed to the shaft exteriorly of the housing and pins extending from the frame to engage the star wheel to effect rotation of the gears and to advance the auger shaft lengthwise as it rotates.

4. A boring machine of the character described, a frame structure, a tubular, exteriorly threaded borin shaft longitudinally adjustable therein, an anger mounted adjustably by said shaft, a gear housing through which said shaft extends and'to which it is slidably keyed, means for manually rotating the housing to thereby rotate the shaft and auger, a gear threaded onto the shaft within the housing, a second gear meshing with the first gear, a mounting shaft keyed to the second gear extending from the housing, a star wheel fixed to the said shaft exteriorly of the housing, pins extending from the frame to engage the star wheel as the housing rotates to effect rotation of the gears and longitudinal advancement of the shaft, and manually operable means for engaging the star wheel to rotate it to effect adjustment of the shaft without rotation thereof.

Signed at Olympia, Washington, this 9th day of December, 1927.

CLAUDE G. SAPP. 

